Okayama, where?

My home QTH is Okayama city in the west of Japan. But...it's where?

My call sign is JN4VWH. The number means the area of Japan. My city Okayama locate is Area number 4 that means in the west area of Japan. You can also find Hiroshima city in this Area 4. ( Tokyo city in Area 1, for example)

[ about the other Area number of JA call sign]

17m DX mobile Ant (HR21)

The mobile Ant I used at working DX besides the lack on this monday evening, it was a mono-band mobile antenna modified for 17m from COMET HR21( 15m band).

Comet Antenna of HR series , they are long antenna for mobile and all of them work very well, I think. ( using HR7 (for 40m) and HR50 (for 6m) at my home QTH)

And I did get newly HR21(for 15m) for using on 17m band. It has 2.13m length originally, but we need more for 17m band. So I did change the elementes like this.

HR21 has finally become a long long mobile antenna as Antenna for 17m band.

But with this modified antenna from HR21, you can receive very loud signals! and also bigger radio waves.

...in comparison with "Diamond HF16FX" (1.2m length) that I have used for these years in my mobile station.

Actually, I could work with many European stations on 17m SSB with this modified mobile antenna from HR21 on monday evening! (running only 50w, but maximum in Japan for mobile stations)

ps For the working for 15m band HR21, just only exchange the elementes in place of home made elements for 17m.

Moving...

Moving...to South?

It was the first QSO tonight on the side of the lake, with the station of Sweden, at 20:28 Japanese Standard Time. And the next, it was the signal of CQ coming from Sweden, too.

Then, a big signal has come to my mobile antenna. It was from England, at 21:15 JST.
At 21:34 JST and 21:46, from France. And after that, huge signal coming from... Italy!

It is very interesting, contact area moving regularly. I have heard about This behavior of the contact area, but it was the first time for me to actually watch it in my working HF band.

After 22:30 JST, DX signals have become little by little weak and gone at last.
And I have heard the other signals coming from Europe during the lake side working. It was too many signals! hi hi. Hearing QSO with JA stations on 17m band in his shack, many European stations have come on, I thought.

Anyway, the propagation is not bad!! I don't know why it is in this activity of the sun. But curious "area moving"! I have watched at the DX working this evening. Hi hi.

Mobile DX

This evening, I have worked with my new mobile station on 17m SSB band. Just getting my new car this summer, MAZDA Demio to MAZDA Familia, so it was the first working of my new mobile station. ( I have just finished to fix the radio system on my new car this 5 th September )

Today's DX
01 20:28 18.117 SM0OWX 59/54 Sweden
02 20:48 18.138 SG3U 59/59 Sweden
03 21:15 18.130 M0GME 59/59 England
04 21:34 18.161 F5VNB 59/55 France
05 21:46 18.153 F5MUX 59/59 France
06 21:59 18.130 IY1NGM 59/59 Italy
07 22:22 18.144 IK4GRO 59/59 Italy
( TIME=Japanese Standard Time )

TNX for stations!

RIG: IC-706MarkII 50W
Mobile Ant: Comet HR21 modified specially for 17m band (about 2.5m)

What a nice evening working! Hi hi

Twitter

Having a invitation of "Twitter", so I have started Twitter a few days ago. I don't know yet well about the communication tool, Twitter, but it will be useful tool specially for Radio amateurs with working Ham Radio in the shack, I think for now. I would like to say here, Thanks a lot! for OM 2E0HTS, Simon-san. Hi hi. de JN4VWH nash

40m France

DXSCAPE Web cluster August 24 2008 ( 24/08/2008 UTC)

This early morning , I did catch a signal on 40m band SSB with my Mobile Antenna fixed on my balcony in my home QTH, and I was in Short Wave Listening at the morning. It was very strong JA Big gun. He was using 2elements Yagi of 30m high running 1000Watts. He was just working with "F4" station of France!
(Japanese Standard Time 4:00 AM August 24 2008, 20:00 UTC / 7.060 MHz SSB on frequency)

And it was incredible! I could also hear and read the signal coming from France on my system, into my Balcony's Mobile Antenna about only 2m length. But it was No Signal that my radio IC703 said on his display. It did mean that it was impossible to make QSO with the French station for me. But anyway I was very happy for me to hear and well read the signal on 40m SSB coming from France this morning.


And after that, the JA station did not finish his working. With some European stations, Belgium, Finland, Russia and Germany etc. I could receive some signals from Europe on "S5-S7"!!! (it was Belgian stations) with my Mobile antenna. On the other hand, there were some signals impossible to read well for my system.

It was very exciting for me to listening this morning 40m band, anyway.

East Timor 4W6R Dxpedition

This evening, I could make a QSO with 4W6R, East Timor DXpedition on 17m band SSB from my home shack, running 50 Watts with using my mobile antenna (1.4m length), fixed 10m high , at my home QTH. It was 19:29 Japanese Standard Time (11:29 UTC).

I have received E-mail from my local mobile station who did sent to me the information when he have already done well his QSO with 4W6R from his mobile station. So I could call to 4W6R DXpedition on the 17m band SSB.

It was not easy to work with East Timor this evening, even though it was not so far from Japan. But 4W6R have receive my call sign at last after three or four times of my call sign sendings, because of huge QRM and my local city noise, unfortunately.

But I am happy anyway now! And thanks a lot for my local station, BUO -san.

Open 17m(?)

Today I received DX signals on 17m band at my home QTH. But it was JA's signal working with some European stations on 17m SSB, with 5 elements Yagi antenna running 1000 watts. It seemed to be not difficult for him to work DX with these european stations. There were European stations on the frequency: England, Greece, Netherlands and others for example. ( I could hear a littile something speaking from Liverpool in England, that was all for my system.)

But I could know in this listening that the signal were comming here to Japan from Europe on the 17m band. But I heard also that these big JA stations saied it was not yet enough condition to working DX on this 17m band for now. Practically, it seems to be not easy even for them JA Big Guns to working DX on the 17m SSB band. Anyway, it was very interesting receiving on 17m for me. (It was at about 20:30JST - janpanese standard time / 12:30UTC, June 5 2008)

DX Switzerland

This evening I could make a QSO with a Ham Radio station of Switzerland from my car, using a mobile antenna, Diamond HF16FX (17m mono-band mobile antenna) and IC-706MkII running 50 Watts. It was a QSO with nice RS reports for each other 59/55. His signal on 17m band was very strong and quite clear. It was very easy to hear the signal comming from Switzerland. So I am very happy tonight this friday night! It was 22:00 JST, 14:00 UTC, le vendredi 16 mai 2008.

　　　　　　　　　　　　IC-706 Mk II 50W (HF + 50MHz + 144MHz)

Diamond HF16FX Mobile Antenna (1.4m long)

PS After DX working, my local station reported to me about my signal which was no good. He told me that it was distorted at the peak of my sending, maybe because of a not enough battery for my rig IC-706 working DX. I will improve it, around the power for my transceiver for DX.

Rainy Day Tuning

Today I have made a QSO with Hong Kong station on 17m band in the rainy day from JAPAN. It is necessary to re-adjusting the mobile antenna 10m high mounted on North balcony. of my home QTH, when it rains like this week-end. Because the antenna's VSWR is always moved by raindrops on the antenna element.

I could work well on 17m band running 50 watts with IC-7000M in this rainy day using Antenna Tuner Yaesu FC-107. Having a good report from Hong Kong, I am very happy today! And I want to say here again thank you for a nice QSO, Charlie-san! CU AGN 73

Receive Austria

I have received tonight a signal comming from Austria on 40m band. The signal was very strong 5/5 to 5/7 receiving my balcony mobile antenna of my home QTH. (It was at 03:30, 19:30 UTC) The call sign was "OE2008U" that I could copy very very easily even though we had much noise of 40m band. QRZ.com says this call sign as "Special Event Station - European Football (Soccer) Championship 2008". The CQ DX was looking for Asia, sometimes "Only Japan" the operator said. I heard some JA station's callings to the Austria CQ DX station, but they were not strong or impossible to read at my QTH, for example.
(In this condition around Japan, some JA Big gun were calling to OE2008U, too. But It seemed to be difficult even for these Big guns.)

It was only receiving, because I thought that it was not easy to make a QSO with the Austria station by much band noise. I have tried to call to signals like this that came here to Japan on 40m band. But it was impossible to make a QSO in that condition on 40m band.

But I will try it one day, using 10m high mounted mobile antenna looking for North of my home QTH. Maybe it will be possible with the antenna... I hope.

Antenna 10ｍ High

I have mounted newly the mobile antenna base of My Home QTH to 10 meters High.

(Using the antenna for south, mounted in very closed space, I can easly work with stations of South-East Asia countries on 17m and 21m bands : China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines, for example. I think it is possible by a low angle radiation for the open space of South-West direction from my home QTH, that is the reason I can work with these Asian stations from my QTH using my south facing antenna.

But on the other hand, today, it was very difficult to make QSO on 15m band with a Saipan station of the Pacific Ocean that was located in South direction from my home QTH. May.01.2008 I think that the signal comming from the Pacific was almost cut off by the south appartement in front of my QTH. In that case, it was better to make him using my north facing mobile antenna of 10m High, even though the antenna was adjusted for 17m band, Diamond HF17FX. The signal comming here from Saipan immediately became very strong, 5/9 from 5/5 changing the north facing mobile antenna for 17m band.)

I am testing QSO on 17m, 15m and 6m bands using this new higher antenna base. I have already have some interesting reports about this 10m high mobile antenna in some QSO. I will post here later.

Christmas Island 2008

http://www.dxciting.com/vk9x/

I have received a DXpedition information by E-mail. It was about "Christmas Island DXpedition 2008". I would like to make QSO for the Christmas Island DXpedition, with using my Balcony Mobile antenna anyway! Hi. Thank you, Marq/VK9XWW! Good luck for your "Christmas Island DXpedition 2008". All the best for all of you from JAPAN. Nash JN4VWH

QSO with Ishigaki on 15m

Today I could make a QSO on 15m with Ishigaki Island station that is located in Area 6 of Japan. But it is very far from my home QTH, Area 4 of Japan, about 1500km.

I did hear sometimes his signal coming from Ishigaki. He is one of JA Big Gun, his signal is always strong and clear. But I have not yet made QSO with the station in this year. Becase it is necessary for me a good condition, propagation to make QSO with him using a mono stick mobile antenna of my home QTH! But we had a good condition today! I did work with him running only 25 watts from my shack.

My home QTH is located in Area 4 of JAPAN. Area 6 is very large area to south-west of Japan. His QTH is near Taiwan. I have recognized newly about it seeing on the Google Earth.

17m from Europe

I have received signals coming from Europe: Germany and Finland today with a mobile antenna north facing fixed on veranda of my home QTH. Today my mobile antenna "Diamond HF17FX " was about 10m high, whici I have moved from 3m high to about 10m high today.

And I did adjust again the mobile antenna on 10m high with a Standing Wave Analyzer "BR-210" by Kuranishi. And then I did come back to my rig IC-7000 in my shack.

I heard there a strong signal coming from German on 17m, it was quite strong! And then I heard also CQ from Finland. Many JA big guns were calling to "OH2" station. It was very easy to copy the call sign and the operator name watching the 5/9 signal coming from Finland on 17m band. ( but it was impossible to copy even the call signs of JA stations. )

Finally I could not make QSO today with these european stations, because these signals have gone while I was recording the rig and the sound coming from Europe on video. But I think I will be able to hear soon signals of far countries on this 17m band, and I would like to make QSO at that moment, I hope.

I am looking to the propagation in future!!

P.S.
I have heard about a DX of my local station. He is specialist of 430MHz SSB DX. But the QSO was made between Greece and Japan on 17m band, specially they were working from their mobile station each other!! Incredible! And a couple days after, he has done! a new DX , he could make QSO with a spanish radio station, too. It was also from his mobile station using a mono stick antenna of 17m band! At last, Spring has come! Hi Hi.

Cherry blossoms

It is the time of cherry blossoms in Japan.

This is the oldest school for ordinary people in those days, built in 1701 in Tokugawa period : it is "Shizutani gakkou" in Japanese, it means a school in quite calm valley. It is one of National Treasures in Japan.

2008 WPX Contest

I have worked on World Wide WXP Contest in this week end. The propagation becoming better, it was easier working on 15m band today using a mobile mono-band antenna fixed on veranda of my home QTH. So I felt that the mobile antenna was working well with the good condition.

In the evening, I heard many signals of the Contest on 40m band. But it was not easy to make QSO on 40m band using the mobile mono-band antenna fixed on veranda, because it was too short element for working with far countries on 40m band after sunset. And it is only 7.030 MHz to 7.100 for SSB mode in the band plan of Japan, it brings us therefore a lot of QRM. So it becomes a contest for stations with a big antenna or a big power, for example, I think.

But for me, it was very interesting working today. Because my mobile antennas of Home QTH worked very well, I think. It is enough for me! for my mobile using test! Hi Hi.

These are Prifixes I have made QSO on 15m SSB ( or 40m) band this week-end :

9M8 East Malaysia
AH0 Mariana Is
B1 China
B7 China
B73 Korea
BA7 China
BP0 Taiwan
BX4 Taiwan
BX5 Taiwan
DX1 Korea
DU1 Philippines
HL0 Korea
HS0 Thailand
JT1 Mongolia
JU1 Mongolia
NH0 Saipan
RW0 Russia
RX0 Russia
VK2 Australia
VR2 Hong Kong
VR10 Hong Kong
XU7 Combodia
YB1 Indonesia
YE1 Indonesia

Echolink DX

This morning, I have made QSO with my friend 2E0HTS Simon via Echolink. This QSO, it was my first Echolink DX. (And it was my second QSO via Echolink. I had already made my first QSO via Echolink with my local area station.)

*
JN4VWH
My QTH using IC-7000 and a discorn antenna fixed on veranda, 2m band FM

*
MY LOCAL LINK

JAPAN

/
**** Internet ****

/

UNITED KINGDOM

HIS LOCAL REPEATOR
*
His QTH FT-847 and 7/8 wave vertical antenna

2E0HTS
*

Our signal goes well between England and Japan like that path via Echolink. It is very interesting system to making QSO with stations very very far, all over the world.

Thank you very much, 2E0HTS Simon. De JN4VWH Nash from Japan

EchoLink for PC

I did install the software of Echolink and finish the setting to use on my PC. But It is difficult to manage well for now, I will see little by little.... Hi.

Improvement of Antenna for 40m

I did change the coaxial cable of the "North facing Mobile antenna on veranda" at my home QTH. I have used this antenna for 40m band for testing. I did not know if it went well for making QSO on 40m band, when I put it on the veranda of my home QTH.

I have known the antenna working very well after the test, so I did change the coaxial cable more normal. It means that I was using a coaxial cable of 3D size. It was too slim for using HF band. (I did not have only that size coaxial cable for the "North facing Mobile Antenna", when I did try to fix the antenna. So I did use it, anyway.)

Now I am using the coaxial cable of 5D size that is 12m long from the antenna to my radio shack. I think 5D size coaxial cable is normal for using on HF band.( much better 8D or 10D size cable )

This improvement of Antenna System can be possible receiving many signals that I have not heard before on 40m band. It makes something a signal a readable message, the unreadable sounds become clearly a "Call Sign" of a radio station, for example. It makes me very happy. I am looking for the HF condition in future.

(I can recognize now the country of the signal I receive, according to the call sign of Ham)